Feminists piled on Ivanka Trump this week after the First Daughter revealed her struggle with post-partum depression, a mental illness that strikes thousands of new mothers each year.
In an interview with ABC News, Trump talked of overcoming feelings of guilt and self-hatred after the birth of all three of her children, and spoke out about the need for women to be upfront with their suffering and ask for help if they need it — and for family members to support those seeking assistance.
Many women, including a number of feminists, have been championing this same cause for years, calling post-partum depression a “silent menace” that sneaks up on moms, just as they should be enjoying time with their newborn children. Feminists have also been vocal about identifying mental illness in women, dispelling stigma that surrounds mental illness, and helping women to come forward and seek treatment.
Unless, of course, that woman is Ivanka Trump. Then, feminists take to Twitter to tell the first daughter how much she “deserved” her pain and suffering — and worse.
Self-proclaimed “feminist” Kimberley Foster told Trump to “suffer.”
Girl. Suffer. https://t.co/KvXtoxG5m4
— Kimberly N. Foster (@KimberlyNFoster) September 20, 2017
Another “grad student” with progressive ideas:
I have horrible PTSD & depression 4 YEARS & I never like to hear that others are going thru the same. But I wish all the misery on this ho
— Leslie Afua (@lunit30) September 20, 2017
Another Twitter user pointed out that Ivanka was rich, as if that changes the equation. Both Brooke Shields and Chrissy Teigen are rich, and both struggled with the same post-partum depression. Feminists didn’t seem to care about “wage equality” among suffering mothers then:
As a woman and a mom I know I should feel sorry for her but I have nothing. She can afford the best healthcare and round the clock nannies.
— Kate Smith (@KateSmithAZ) September 20, 2017
Some “feminists” were pointed:
When she shows an ounce of caring about the people she works for (aka the American people), I will give a shit about her. @IvankaTrump
— H. Duff (@hillofbeans17) September 20, 2017
Some were more subtle, attempting to claim that the new GOP health care bill doesn’t cover mental illness treatment, and use that as a weapon against Ivanka:
She should imagine those without HEALTHCARE dealing with that. And, in her case w/o the $$$ to pay for lipo, nannies, maids, airplanes, etc
— Edin (@EdinBrook16) September 20, 2017
Others just accused her of lying:
Lies to make her look normal
— Music Promoters (@SMPALLSTARS) September 20, 2017
Of course, none of these women — and they’re all women, and not the Patriarchal men they often accuse of failing to understand the needs and rights of women — would be so bold to say this to someone they agreed with. But since Ivanka Trump is related to the President, she’s fair game — even when it comes to supporting and encouraging treatment for mental illness.
In a word, it’s just … sick.
